Course Description
The course instructors warmly welcome you to “GSR 979: Introductory Instructional Skills.” This course is designed for graduate students with little to no experience in teaching. In this course, our aim is to equip you with the teaching skills and concepts you need to survive—and thrive in—your first teaching assignment. While the prospect of teaching your first class, tutorial, or lab, may be intimidating (and even scary), it is our hope that you will leave the course feeling confident and prepared for your exciting new role.
Throughout the course, the instructors will model a variety of teaching strategies and approaches: in this way, you will begin to identify strategies that you may experiment with and implement in your own practice. We will be transparent about the theory that grounds the practical skills taught in the course, illuminating the notion that teaching is scholarship. Finally, in addition to providing you with teaching skills and strategies, we are eager to see you embrace a reflective teaching practice, which will result in perpetual teaching improvement.
In Term one, classes run every Monday from September 16 to December 2, 1:30-4:00 pm. The classroom is TBD. Application forms must be submitted by September 6, 2013.
While this course will not earn you credit, it will appear on your transcript. It is imperative that you maintain attendance, and complete all course activities, readings, and assignments to pass the course.
Graduate students with some teaching experience should consider taking the two-term course, GSR 989: Introduction to University Teaching, that delves more deeply into teaching theory and philosophy.
Course Requirements
To take GSR 979, you must be registered as a graduate student. We ask that only those apply who are committed to attending each class, and to completing all activities, readings, and assignments, since enrolment in the course is limited to 30 students and spaces are valuable. Post-doctoral fellows may also enrol in the course with permission of the instructor.
To successfully complete the course, two micro-teaching lessons must be completed, as well as:
- The Teaching Perspectives Inventory
- Learning and Personality Inventories
- Micro-teaching Lesson Plans (2)
- Assessment Rubric
The required textbook for the course is Tools for Teaching, the Second Edition, by Barbara Gross Davis, available in the Campus Bookstore.
Course Outline
Syllabus
Week 1 | September 16 | Course Introduction, Learning Objectives and BOPPPS Lesson Planning |
Week 2 | September 23 | Your Teaching Self: Who You Are and Your Responsibilities |
Week 3 | September 30 | Learning Styles and Other Factors That Affect Student Learning |
Week 4 | October 7 | Micro-teaching |
Week 5 | October 21 | Micro-teaching |
Week 6 | October 28 | Teaching Styles and Strategies |
Week 7 | November 4 | Assessment and Evaluation |
Week 8 | November 18 | Micro-teaching |
Week 9 | November 25 | Micro-teaching |
Week 10 | December 2 | Course Wrap-up |
Registration
To apply for GSR 979, please fill out the application form and submit it to:
The Gwenna Moss Centre For Teaching Effectiveness
Attn: Tereigh Ewert-Bauer
50 Murray Building, 3 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A4.
Application Form
Space in the course is determined on a first come, first served basis. 25 applications will be accepted. Successful applicants will be notified via email within two weeks of their application submission. Additional applicants will be contacted to determine whether they want to be placed on a waiting list.
Inquiries may be directed to Tereigh Ewert-Bauer by email (tereigh.ewert-bauer@usask.ca) or phone (306) 966-6321.
